Karnataka Most Corrupt State: Rahul Gandhi
Bijapur, Apr 20 (IANS): Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said Karnataka has become the most corrupt state and urged Youth Congress workers to take the lead in eradicating graft from the country.
“Karnataka has become the most corrupt state and it is the common man who suffers due to this,” he said addressing Youth Congress workers in Hindi in this north Karnataka town, about 540 km from Bangalore.
Gandhi, who arrived in the state for a two-day visit to pep up the party, particularly its youth wing, said that in contrast to the present state of affairs in Karnataka, the state had progressed well during the Congress rule.
“Karnataka leads the country in IT sector and Bangalore is synonymous with Silicon Valley (IT hub in the United States). This happened during the Congress regime,” Gandhi said to applause from a large gathering of party members.
The Congress leader landed in Hubli, about 300 km from Bangalore, earlier in the day and proceeded to Bijapur for his first engagement with Youth Congress members.
He was accompanied by state Congress president G. Parameshwara and leader of the opposition in the assembly Siddaramiah.
Gandhi later addressed Youth Congress members at Udupi on the west coast, around 420 km from Bangalore.
He will wind up the day with an address to the youth wing members in Bangalore and discussion with the newly-reconstituted Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC).
The reconstitution has led to heartburn among those who have not found place on it.
At a Youth Congress meeting in Bangalore Monday, several members who did not find a place in the PCC created a ruckus. They were pacified after assurances that they could brief Gandhi on the issue.
Bangalore: Day of Hectic Activity in Karnataka Congress, BJP
Bangalore, Apr 20 (IANS): Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Dharmendra Pradhan arrived in Karnataka Tuesday on different missions.
While Gandhi is here to pep up his party, particularly the youth wing, Pradhan has arrived to sort out differences in the ruling party over the continuation of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in the light of various corruption charges against him.
Gandhi landed in Hubli in north Karnataka, 300 km from Bangalore, and proceeded to Bijapur, 200 km away, for "a dialogue" with Youth Congress members. Karnataka Congress president G. Parameshwara and leader of the opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah accompanied Gandhi.
Gandhi would visit Udupi on the west coast and reach Bangalore in the evening to meet Youth Congress workers and members of the recently re-constituted Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC).
The reconstitution has led to heartburn amongst those who have not found a place in it. At a Youth Congress meeting in Bangalore Monday, several members who did not find a place in the PCC created a ruckus. They were pacified after assurances that they could brief Gandhi on the issue.
Pradhan began a meeting with state BJP president K.S. Eshwarappa soon after arriving here. Eshwarappa has admitted to differences in the party but said the intention was not to seek Yeddyurappa's removal.
Pradhan has been sent to the state by central leaders after Eshwarappa last month led a group of legislators "to convey to the leadership the problems faced by some law makers and ministers".
Yeddyurappa has been accused of favouring his kin in the allotment of prime land in and around Bangalore.
Governor H.R. Bhardwaj has sanctioned Yeddyurappa's prosecution; following this, two Bangalore-based advocates have filed five complaints of corruption and illegal land deals against the chief minister in a city court.
Proceedings in the city court have been stayed by the high court on a petition by Yeddyurappa's son-in-law R. Sohan Kumar, one of the several persons named in the complaints.